


Amaranth

by RougeCrossroadsDemon



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-27 03:17:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18730621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RougeCrossroadsDemon/pseuds/RougeCrossroadsDemon
Summary: On the edge of Camp Half-Blood, a gift from the earth blooms.





	1. Gaia's Gift

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jithera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jithera/gifts).



"What are they?" A boy's soft voice is the first thing I hear, highlighted by a subtle fragrance that can only be described as safe. The boys voice was followed by a much more feminine and slightly more intelligent sounding females voice. "Flower bud’s. Obviously." He groans.  
"Yeah I can SEE. I meant why is each one bigger than Chiron and why did they spawn right outside of camp overnight?" The girl chuckles. “I'm fairly certain their Amaranth’s."

"An ana-what’s?"

A much deeper male voice answers the boy. "Amaranth. It's greek. It essentially means group of bright flowers. In our world, it refers to a very specific bright flower. These Amaranth’s pop up bearing gifts directly from Gaia herself."

"Oh no." The two younger voices say together.

 

 

Finally I manage to pry open my eyes from whatever adhesive was gluing them shut. I am curled comfortably in a strange, soft, orange room in the shape of a water droplet. As my eyes adjusted, three blurry figures could barely be seen through the apparently thin walls.

"No need to worry. These spawn from her more mothering side." The man assures the concerned young ones.

"She has one of those?" The boy asks, and edge to his voice that said a lot about how he felt about this “Gaia” woman. I wondered silently who she was to earn such instant animosity at simply the mention of her name.

"I understand, it is rather hard to imagine, but yes. Once, she was a very kind woman. She sent Amaranths to hold gifts that she had created herself. They come in families because they only carry one item in each and she was often sending several. Over time less and less were found and they only came in small groups if there was more than one at all.”  
“So,” The girl begins. “She just grew bitter with age.”

One of the blurs grew bigger and more defined. A body could barely be made out. "Well if they're safe we should open them... right?" The blur reached out and rested a hand on the wall of my tiny confines. I reach forward and press my hand against his, though he doesn’t seem to notice. I let my hand drop.

 

 

"It's not that easy Percy. The flowers have to be opened by whomever they were sent for. If they were left here, it could be for anyone in camp. We should round everyone up and have them all try." The older man suggested. The girl piped in.

"If it was left here at camp, by Gaia herself, wouldn't it likely be for Mr.D?" What I assume was her blur moves to stand next to Percy. She rests her hand on the petal where the boy had laid his, then removes it when nothing happens.

"Or you, Chiron." Percy suggests. The two blurs step to one side and let the third one closer. Chiron was much larger than the other two, and seemed to be an entirely different species, judging by the strange growth behind him. "Perhaps..." The new blurs hand rests softly on the wall of the flower. Nothing happens.

The man sighs and removes his hand, and turns to beckons to the young ones. "Let us fetch Mr.D." He and the girl walk away while the boy stands for a short while. He gasps as the ground underneath me shifts. "Chiron! Annabeth come back!" He calls suddenly. "One of them's moving!"

 

 

The two vanishing blurs quickly grow and solidify once more as the walls of my room separate and bloom into a fluorescent flower, leaving me exposed in the middle. "Ooooh!" The messy black haired boy turns his head and blocks his eyes with one hand. "There's a naked girl in the flower." His bright orange shirt matched my flower. It read “Camp Half-Blood. Long Island Sound.”

The girl stood still, grey eyes staring forward in awe. She wore an identical shirt to the boy, but her hair was much different. Almost the opposite in shade, and much longer, pulled up in a ponytail.

The man, who I now could see was a centaur, fought for words. His shirt was not orange. It was white and read “Party Ponies. New Mexico Chapter.”

I stepped out of the flower, carefully and watched as small roots grew and wrapped around my feet as they touched the ground. I stare at them until the girl breaks the silence.

"Who are you?" Our eyes meet for a moment before I continue taking in my surroundings. I seemed to be standing on a hill overlooking strawberry fields. Behind me were three more flower buds and a forest.

"I believe....” I looked back towards Annabeth, glance at Percy, who’s still hiding his face, and finally lock eyes with the centaur who opened me.

“I am Amaranth."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the short paragraphs in this update. The next few chapters should be longer.

The Party Ponies shirt fit like a very loose dress. I gently pull a vine from the ground near my feet, and wrap it around my waist to form the garment closer to my body. I twirl and smile. “Thank you, Chiron.”

 

“We couldn’t exactly have you wandering around nude.” he smiled softly and knelt to meet me closer at eye level. “Amaranth, I must ask, why were you sent to me?”

 

I looked down at the ever-changing array of moss and vines that swarmed my feet and ankles. “I wish I knew. I know who Gaia is though… I’m not sure how. I even know who you are.” I lift my head. “You are Chiron. Trainer of Demigods.” He watches me as I walk over to Percy and Annabeth. “And you two… Defeaters of Titans.” Percy Smirked brightly at this title. “Survivors of Tartarus.” The smirk faded quickly at the mention of such a place, and the two young demigods entangled their hands for support.

 

I walk back to the centaur. “I’m not sure why the Earth would send me to you sir. But I would be happy to find out with you.” I smile brightly. If I had been honest I would have mentioned that I wasn’t even sure if I existed before emerging from the petals. I had all this knowledge about the Greeks and yet, no history of my own. “I think maybe you should start by opening the other buds.” We all approach the remaining three flowers. The one I had came from had already receded into the earth.

 

Chiron approached the closest of the collection. Gingerly he reached a hand out to touch the flower. “I swear if there are more girls in there I’m opting out.” Percy warned, ready to hide his eyes. Annabeth giggles. We wait in anticipation for the flower to open, but nothing happens. “Oh no… are they each for a different person?” Annabeth asked. Her, Chiron and Percy all try to open the remaining flowers but none of them succeed. 

 

“Here, let me try.” I step forward and lay a hand on one of the flowers. It’s petals slowly unfold revealing another painfully bright flower. In it’s center, lay a bronze pocket watch on a chain. I retrieve it from the flower as it returns to the earth. The watch sported intricate engravings of thorny vines, and the phrase Χάλκινο Κήπο.

 

“First a person, now a watch? Seems like Gaia just spun a roulette wheel to pick these so-called gifts.” Annabeth shot Percy a glare. I heard her whisper lecture something about how it was rude to refer to me like I wasn’t there. 

 

“I don’t mind. He’s right. These gifts are rather strange and inconsistent. The watch says Chálkino Kípo…”

 

“Bronze Garden?” Annabeth translates quickly. I nod and wear the watch like a necklace. “We shall figure out what that is for later. For now, we have two more flowers.” The next one contained a glass nectar flask, ordained with leather to attach to a belt. And the last, a letter.

 

Dearest daughter,

 

The circumstances of your birth is one that most of your siblings in the past have struggled to accept. I’ve heard waking up a teenager in a flower can be difficult. However I fear this is not as difficult as they get. You, my sweet, are a Demigod. Your father would have received you, but I fear he passed many years ago, while you were still just a small child. I have sent you instead to Chiron, a Centaur many God’s trust with their children. I am confident he will do what is necessary to keep you safe. I have given you all I can and wish you well in life. I am unlikely to wake to meet you, but know I am always watching over you.

 

-With Love, Your mother, Gaia.

 

“Mother?” Percy said, stepping away from me once I had finished reading her note.

 

“Is that bad?” I ask, looking up from the letter.

 

“Let’s just say we’ve had our differences.”

 

Chiron interjected. “We shouldn’t pass judgment on Amaranth because of what her mother has done. Every demigod should have a chance to prove themselves. This includes The children of Gaia.”

 

“But Chiron, GAIA.”

 

“And my father is Kronos. And you trust me don’t you Percy? A child is not their parent and must be judged separately. Now come along you three. Annabeth, would you mind talking to the hephaestus kids about designing a new Cabin? And Percy, I believe you have a chariot race to compete in.”

 

Reluctantly, the two demigods left. “As for you and I Amaranth, we must talk to Mr.D, the camp director.”

 

“Camp?” We took a few steps towards the strawberry fields, and dozens of variously styled buildings came into view. A large one the color of the sky was the most prominent, as well as a large gathering of what must have been the cabins. “Where was this hiding?”

 

“Welcome, to Camp Half-Blood.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> My inspiration to finally start writing and posting fic again was Jithera, who just published their first chapter of the first fic they have ever posted.  
> (Title: "The Emrys Line")  
> For the unintentional push they gave me, I have dedicated this fic (My first in 7 years) to them.


End file.
